Messy Sparkles/Tree Hopping – MESSYHOPPING [EP]

With a sound that can be compared to the likes of Panda Bear, Messy Sparkles is the experimental project of Austin, Texas-based JD Paul. Since releasing his debut Feeling Good Forever LP earlier this year, Paul has traveled around the country "playing beautiful music and playing sweaty basements," as stated by Andy Todryk, a representative from Paul's label, Two Michael Jordan Records.

Recently, Paul teamed up with Florida-native Gabriel Berrios of Tree Hopping to release the duo's first collaborative EP. Released via Two Michael Jordans, MESSYHOPPING features the newest material from the duo.

Messy Sprakles's "New Doors/Hidden Rooms!" is one of several standout tracks from the LP. Opening with a heavy hitting bass beat, the song quickly introduces a string of synth chords and a faint, high pitch voice. As the momentum builds, Paul playfully throws in a continuous wave of overlapping samples to lead to the song dropping suddenly into a tropical-influenced xylophone riff, throwing the song to an island setting. "New Doors/Hidden Rooms!" proceeds to play out as a fun track that keeps you bouncing your head shortly after the track is over.

Expanding on the other half of the LP, Tree Hopping's "Cricket Day Song" is another standout track from the album. With delayed guitar riffs filling the background playing along with Berrios's multi-vocals, the song is a fast-paced ride that is an appropriate closer to a solid collaborative album.

Listen to Messy Sparkles's "New Doors/Hidden Rooms!" and Tree Hopping's "Cricket Day Song" below. MESSYHOPPING is also streaming in its entirety via Two Michael Jordan's BANDCAMP.